Rocket Lab launched an Earth-observing satellite for the company BlackSky toward orbit tonight (June 2).
An Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab‘s New Zealand site today at 7:57 p.m. EDT (0057 GMT or 11:57 a.m. local New Zealand time on June 3), carrying a “Gen-3” satellite for Virginia-based BlackSky toward low Earth orbit (LEO).
If all goes to plan, the mission, which Rocket Lab calls “Full Stream Ahead,” will deliver the spacecraft to a circular orbit 292 miles (470 kilometers) above Earth.
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Once there, the spacecraft “will join the remainder of the company’s constellation delivering very high-resolution imagery and AI-enabled analytics for daily intelligence operations,” Rocket Lab wrote in a mission description.
“‘Full Stream Ahead’ is the second in a series of four Electron launches booked by BlackSky to deploy its Gen-3 satellites to orbit this year, and the 10th overall [Electron] launch for the company — making Electron the most prolific launcher for their constellation to date,” Rocket Lab added.
The Electron rises into the New Zealand sky on the “Full Stream Ahead” mission on June 2, 2025. (Image credit: Rocket Lab)
Tonight’s launch was the seventh of 2025 and the 65th overall flight for the 59-foot-tall (18 meters) Electron, which gives small satellites dedicated rides to orbit.
Rocket Lab also flies a suborbital variant of Electron known as HASTE, which serves as a testbed for hypersonic technologies. The company is also developing a larger, more powerful orbital rocket called Neutron, which is designed to be partially reusable. Neutron is expected to debut later this year.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 8:10 p.m. ET on June 2 with news that Electron had lifted off.